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1. The Africa Solidarity Network (ASoNet) is grateful that despite all the challenges of the previous years that the government of the DRC has finally held the general elections which were free and fair.

2. The ASoNet believes that democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people.

3. The ASoNet believes that the great people of the DRC have expressed their choice; they have chosen Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo as the new president.

4. The ASoNet has taken notice of the provisional results as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI),

5. Bearing in mind that the CENI is the only qualified institution in the field to collect the results by polling stations, to make the accounts and to proclaim provisional results,

6. The ASoNet therefore together with the Congolese diaspora in South Africa solemnly congratulates president elect, Sir Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, for his brilliant election as the new president of our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo,

7. The ASoNet wishes him all the best for the five year term ahead.

8. The ASoNet strongly believes this is the will of the people of the DRC and that it should be respected by all stakeholders,

9. The ASoNet invites therefore the CENCO (National Episcopal Conference of Congo) to respect the constitution and the electoral laws of the DRC by simply limiting its role to the one of all the electoral observer which is to ensure the credibility of the elections and not to proclaim the results thereof,

10. The ASoNet further invites the Catholic Church of Congo to respect its obligation of neutrality with regards to the local political process and to refrain from statements that is susceptible to creating chaos and civil war amid election results,

11. The ASoNet recognizes that the people of the DRC has suffered enough from the time of slavery to date, with millions of deaths through unnecessary civil wars, therefore do not deserve another round of post electoral violence nor deaths.

12. The ASoNet kindly invite France, UK, USA and the UN Security Council to respect the sovereignty of the DRC, by allowing our legal and legitimates institutions to handle our electoral disputes,

13. The ASoNet invites all citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the President elect Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo in his new mission.

14. The ASoNet reminds all Congolese that there can only be one President at the time and Sir Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has been chosen by the people of the DRC.

15. The ASoNet calls upon all parties disagreeing with the results of this election to respect the constitution of the DRC and its recognized institutions should there be any post electoral dispute.

16. The ASoNet therefore opposes any form of interference by foreign powers and institutions in the affairs of the Congo and appeal to all Congolese to stand up as one people to defend the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo,

17. The ASoNet believes the DRC cannot afford another civil war in the name of any interest whatsoever!

God bless the DRC,

Issued by Africa Solidarity Network